§ Mr. DalyellTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received relating to activities by HM armed forces and their effect on wildlife in South Jason Island. [147198]
§ Dr. MoonieAlthough there has been some discussion locally on this subject, my right hon. Friend has received no representations relating to activities by HM armed forces on South Jason Island, and their effect on the wildlife there.
On Friday 12 January, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the British armed forces successfully disposed of a number of items of unexploded ordnance on South Jason Island, located on the north west coast of West Falkland, as part of a programme of clearing an aircraft crash site left over from the Falklands conflict. We have a legal obligation under the Ottawa Convention to remove such unexploded ordnance from the Falkland Islands, and these operations are carried out with every caution to personnel and the environment.
Despite precautions that were taken during the operation, a fire broke out on the island. A joint effort by the British armed forces and the Falkland Islands Fire Service extinguished the fire by the evening of Thursday 18 January, despite a strong, northerly, 40 knot wind which hampered fire-fighting efforts and caused the fire to spread quickly.
HQ British Forces Falkland Islands is currently conducting an investigation to establish how the fire started.
Advice from a conservation expert who has since visited the island is that the damage to the wildlife was significantly less than first reported. Only a small number of dead birds were found whose death can be directly linked to the fire. Therefore, although there has been some regrettable loss of wildlife, the conservationist assessed that this could in no way be classified as an environmental disaster.